Written by Grove Collaborative

Can plants really purify the air in your home?

Last Updated: March 11, 2022

We’ve all heard that houseplants help purify the air in your home. But is it true? Follow along as we dig deep to clear the air on houseplants once and for all.

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Can plants really purify the air in your home?
First, what causes poor indoor air quality?
Do plants clean the air in your home?
What plants are good for the home?
Shop indoor garden kits from Grove.
Other ways to keep the air in your home clean
Shop for alternative air purifying methods from Grove.
Read more from Grove.

First, what causes poor indoor air quality?

We spend about 90 percent of our time inside, so the quality of our air is pretty important.

Indoor air pollution is caused by fumes released from various sources inside the home, like cigarette smoke, pesticides, cleaning products, house paint, and even our furniture.

Not all of these pollutants are strong enough to smell — VOCs, or volatile organic compounds, are emitted from things like drywall, shampoo, and the plywood your new coffee table is made from.

Do plants clean the air in your home?

We hate to be the bearers of bad news, but houseplants don’t actually clean the air in your home.

Most of the info that links houseplants to cleaner air comes from a 1989 NASA study. The study showed that houseplants were able to cut down air pollution from VOCs in small, airtight containers in a laboratory setting — a very different environment from the large rooms of a home filled with furniture, knickknacks, and drafty windows.

A recent study from air quality experts at Drexel University says that while plants can remove some air pollutants from indoor spaces like houses and office buildings, they do it at such a slow rate — and it would take so many of them — that the effects are negligible.

So, how many plants do you need to purify a room?

You’d need 10 plants per square foot in your home to enjoy any impact on indoor air quality.

Let’s break that down: For a 320 square-foot room, you’d need 3,200 plants for that room alone. Who needs space for a television when you can watch your philodendron grow?

And with the average American home coming out to around 2,300 square feet, that’s 23,330 air purifying plants required to have a measurable effect on air quality. On the bright side, your local florist is going to love you.

Make your home happier with an indoor garden kit

Grow kits simplify making things grow in your home. They offer all of the benefits of houseplants, and if you need more convincing — you get to eat them, too!

There are a ton of different garden kits available (these are our favorites!), from mushrooms and green onions to basil and organic lettuce, and you can grow them anywhere you’ve got space — even in a small New York City apartment.

Got dirt? We do! Check out our gardening store, where we’ve got everything you need to get your grow kit, plant babies, and garden up and running.